Appraisal
by QueenOfDarkComedy
Summary: In a hurry to get home to her son with the Good Guy doll he wanted for his birthday, Karen makes the choice do a last minute jewelry appraisal for a mysterious young woman with a fancy ring. (One Shot) Karen and Tiffany centric fan fic.


Karen scrambled to get everything organized at the jewelry counter. If she wanted to spend some time with her son, Andy before working again tonight, she had to act quick before anymore customers came to the counter.

She put the bag over the Good Guy doll box. Was it luck? Or was it fate that this doll came to her over the afternoon? Either way, she was filled with gratitude. Andy was going to love it!

Just as she had the last of her stuff packed up and organized, a young woman slunk past the counter. Her energy made Karen cringe a little. It wasn't the way she dressed either. This young woman, late 20s, had all of her attention focused on the jewelry in the case below her.

Her long, black nails slid across the glass gently, but with an elegant flair;

She blinked her heavy, dark make up covered green eyes at the jewels below.

It was like watching a moth glide into a flame

Karen inhaled and exhaled in frustration. She really needed to leave.

"…Can I help you, miss?" Karen asked rather impatiently.

The young woman looked up. She raised her shaped eyebrows.

Karen had seen young girls dress like this all throughout the mall. Must be the style right now, she thought.

"Uh, yeah." she took a rather….suspiciously expensive looking ring off her finger. It was a tear shaped diamond with tiny diamonds encrusted below it in gold. "I was wondering if you'd be able to tell me how much this is worth." She held the ring in front of Karen.

"You do realize this is a department store and not an jewelry appraisal business?" said Karen.

"Well, I thought you might have known." the young woman retorted, putting the ring back on her finger immediately, turning the other direction.

Karen caught herself. She didn't intend to be rude. She just wanted to get home.

"Wait."

There was a pause; an exchange of glances between the two women.

Karen held out her hand.

The girl took the ring off and handed it to Karen.

Karen pulled out a sheet of felt and a magnifying glass.

"I'm not very good at this…but I'll give you my opinion. Take it with a grain of salt."

Karen took a close look at the diamond.

What would a girl like this be doing with a diamond ring?

"Family heirloom?"

"Oh, no…actually…my boyfriend left it for me."

"Is that so….He must treat you like a queen." Karen assumed.

The young woman laughed. "Not exactly!" she smiled.

"Though, I'm pretty sure the ring was in his family."

"Very possible. From what I can see this ring is around forty or fifty years old."

"Well, my mother always used to say: 'The worth of a woman to a man is counted on how many carats he places on her finger'."

"Your mother sounds old fashion." Karen smiled warmly.

"She really was." she smiled back.

"Well, from the pear shape to the clarity of the diamond itself I would say it's probably worth around $30,000 dollars."

"OK." she said optimistically.

"In fact," Karen started digging underneath the counter. "Here. There's a guy that runs a jewelry appraisal place down the street. I'm sure he can give you an exact estimate."

She handed the young girl a card.

"Thank you."

"Congratulations." said Karen.

"For what?" she asked.

"For your engagement to your boyfriend." Karen was glad to help, despite being in a hurry. She handed the ring back.

"Oh no, he's dead." she said matter-of-factly, putting the ring back on her finger.

This disturbed Karen, but she didn't show it externally. "I'm sorry…"

"Thank you."

"What's your name?"

"Tiffany."

"Well, Tiffany my condolences." Karen nodded her head.

"That's alright. I'm pretty sure he would have asked. Thank you..." she looked down at the name tag. "Karen. See you around."

Karen watched Tiffany leave.

"What's with the dame in fishnets?" Maggie asked from behind Karen.

Karen chuckled.

"Oh! Forgot to tell you. I overheard Criswell talking. Apparently, they just found the body of that missing socialite, Vivan Van Pelt."

"You're kidding me…" Karen said discontent. "That's horrible….."

"Strangled apparently…"Maggie threw up her hands. "Crazy world we live in."

"I'll say. See you tonight, Mags." Karen winked at Maggie.

She covered the rest of the Good Guy doll box as quickly as she could and left.


End file.
